Page:Report of the Park Board 1903.djvu/74

 hereafter be secured at a reasonable price, and if the trees now growing upon it could be preserved from destruction, and if the land could be prevented from being occupied by expensive improvements, it would no doubt be well to postpone for another generation the acquirement of some, if not the most of these areas; but judging from the sad experience of other cities in providing themselves with adequate systems of parks and parkways, there is no doubt that it would be an exceedingly wise and prudent proceeding for your city to acquire the suggested areas for parks and parkways, or most of them, within the next ten years, the construction of improvements to proceed gradually as the finances of the city will justify. Having regard to the present and future requirements of the city in the matter of parks, and with full consideration of the financial limitations, it seems perfectly reasonable that the city should proceed cautiously but speedily to the acquisition of some such system of parks and parkways as has been outlined above, but bearing in mind always that the attempt will prove a failure or will fall pitiably short of the ideal result without the cordial and liberal co-operation and assistance of the land owners whose properties are needed for or will be affected favorably by the proposed improvements. If these property owners could visit the park systems of other cities, and study the increased valuations which the lands bordering upon the various parks and parkways have in most instances acquired, no doubt most of them would be convinced of the advisability of giving to the city the land required for park purposes in all cases where the owners have enough land left to be benefited, and to sell them at extremely low prices, and to reinvest the money in adjoining lands, in cases where the whole or the greater part of their holdings has to be taken for the parks or parkways. If the public sentiment can once be roused in favor of a comprehensive system of parks, and if the land owners will co-operate cordially, it seems reasonable to assume that the greater part, if not the whole, of the system above suggested, or the equivalent of it, can be accomplished without undue strain to the finances of the city.

OLMSTED BROTHERS.